Foldable easel-type desk calendar support with extensible and retractable tab



Jan. 4, 1966 s. R. SOUTHARD FOLDABLE EASEL-TYPE DESK CALENDAR SUPPORT WITH EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTABLE TAB Filed Jan. 28, 1964 /6 z INVENTOR.

STANLEY R. SOUTHARD 3:. E 4. BY

MAHONEY. MILLER & RAMBO BY M ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent M 3,226,863 FOLDABLE EASEL-TYPE DESK CALENDAR SUP- PORT WITH EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTABLE TAB Stanley R. Southard, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Southard Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 340,603 3 Claims. (Cl. 40-120) This invention relates to a foldable easel-type desk calendar support with extensible andretractable tab. The extensible and retractable tab or panel of the support is particularly useful for bearing printed advertising matter or other indicia although it is not limited thereto. Also, the support is not limited to use in a desk calendar but is capable of use as a support for other purposes.

According to this invention, there is provided a support of the easel type which includes front and rear panels that are joined together at an upper hinge or fold line for relative swinging movement from a flat folded laminated position to an unfolded or spread angular supporting position. Operatively connected between the two panels is a diagonal bracing tongue which not only automatically assumes a bracing position when the panels are swung apart into supporting position but also includes a connected panel or tab which moves automatically between a withdrawn or retracted position between the support panels, when they are folded, to an extended visible position when the panels are unfolded into supporting position. The tab slides inwardly and outwardlythrough a slot at the fold line and the connection of the tab to the bracing tongue is made in such a manner that the proper extending and retracting movement of the tab occurs automatically in accordance with and as a result of the unfolding and folding of the support panels.

In the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated a desk calendar embodying the principles of this invention but as previously indicated, this invention is not necessarily limited to a desk calendar.

In this drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a desk calendar embodying this invention showing the supporting panels thereof in unfolded or supporting position with the extensible and retractable tab in extended or visible position.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the calendar in folded laminated condition.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

With reference to the drawing, there is illustrated a structure which embodies this invention and which, for

example, is shown as being in the form of a foldable easel-type desk calendar support. The entire support is preferably made of cardboard, paperboard, or other relatively inexpensive material although it could be of plastic or other suitable material. The support comprises a front panel 11 and a rear panel 12 which are connected together at an upper hinge line 13. It is preferred that these two panels 11 and 12 be formed from a single blank of material which is folded along the line 13 although they could be formed as separate panels and suitably joined by an attaching hinge structure. The front panel may carry pages or sheets 14 for particular months of a calendar or any other matter which it is desired to display. The rear panel 12 may servemerely as a support in cooperation with the panel 11, when it is unfolded relative thereto, to provide an easel-type display structure, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

In addition to the panels 11 and 12, a combination 3,226,863 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 brace and display tab member 15 is operatively connected between the two panels 11 and 12. This member 15 is preferably made of the same material as the panels 11 and 12 and comprises a brace section or tongue 16 which has an angular flange 17 on its rear or inner edge hinged thereto at a fold line 18a and which is disposed in flat contact with the inner surface of the support 12 at a location substantially above the midpoint of the height of the panel 12, being preferably bonded thereto or attached in any other suitable manner. The brace 16 is also connected by a fold and hinge line 18 to the lower end of a tab or panel 20. This tab 20 is slidably mounted between the outer or face part of the panel 11 and the inner or guide flap 11a of that panel. The flap 11a is provided preferably by folding the panel 11 inwardly and upwardly along a lower edge fold line 19 so thatthe forward face of the fiap 11a is in flat contact with the rear face of the panel 11 although these members could be formed as separate members hinged together. The laminations 11 and 11a are preferably glued together along their contacting bottom edges and along their contactlng side edges but along the other side edge and top edge they are not glued together so that the flap 11a is yieldable inwardly relative to the panel 11.

The flap 11a is provided with a substantially rectangular opening 21 of substantial height which extends from substantially the mid-level thereof downwardly for a substantial distance, the lower edge of the opening being indicated at 22 and its upper edge being indicated at 23. In its lateral extent, the opening is just slightly greater than the lateral extent of the member 15. Consequently, the member 15, as indicated in FIGURE 2, can extend through the opening 21 and the tab 20 can extend upwardly between the upper portions of flap 11a and the panel 11 when the panels 11 and 12 are spread. The upper or distal end of the tab 20 is adapted to pass outwardly through a slot 24 in the fold or hinge line 13 between the hinged support panels 11 and 12. It will be understood that the slot 24 is of a length slightly greater than the width of the tab 20 but substantially less than the width of the panels 11 and 12 so that the slot is closed at each end by substantial amounts of material 13a at the hinge line 13. The opening 21 is of corresponding length.

It will be noted from FIGURE 3 that when the structure is in folded condition, a laminated structure is provided which consists from front to rear of the front panel 11, the tab 20, the guide flap 11a, the brace section 16 which will be in substantial alignment with the attaching flange 17 and finally, the rear support panel 12. At this time, the hinge line 18 will be located slightly above the lower edge 22 of the opening 21. The tab 20 will, at this time, be retracted downwardly to such an extent that it just projects slightly upwardly through the slot 24.

If the structure is now unfolded from the laminated condition illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 to the spread condition illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 by swinging the flaps 11 and 12 apart about the hinge line 13, the brace portion 16 will be pulled upwardly and rearwardly relative to the flap 11 and this will exert an upward pull on the tab 20 causing the fold line 18 to move upwardly in the opening 21 and causing the tab to slide upwardly between the guide flap 11a and the panel 11 and out through the slot 24 to its extended position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. This movement will continue until the fold line 18 engages the upper edge 23 of the opening 21 which will provide a stop arrangement that will limit spreading of the flaps 11 and 12 to a predetermined angular position and they will be held in such relative easel-like arrangement by the friction of the tab 20 in the slot 24 and in between the flap 11a and the panel 11. If the structure is again folded by pressure applied on the diverging lower ends of the panels 11 and 12, the brace 16 will be automatically moved downwardly and forwardly with the fold line 18 moving downwardly through the opening 21 toward its lower edge and thereby pulling the tab 26 downwardly to cause it to be retracted through the slot 24 and between the flap 11a and panel 11 to the retracted condition shown in FIGURE 3.

It will be apparent that the projecting portion of the extended tab 29 may contain advertising or other desired printed matter. When the structure is folded, the tab is in retracted condition thereby providing the laminated structure illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 which is of minimum area. This will greatly facilitate packaging and mailing of the unit. When the supporting structure is unfolded, the tab 20 is automatically extended to a position where the printed matter is displayed in an attractive and readily visible manner and simultaneously the brace 16 is arranged in angular position between the panels 11 and 12 to provide an easel-like supporting arrangement.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1. A supporting structure of the easel type comprising a front supporting member and a rear supporting member hinged together at a hinge joint adjacent their upper ends for relative swinging movement between folded and supporting positions, a member positoned between the front and rear supporting members and slidable through said hinge joint between a downwardly retracted position substantially within the hinged supporting members when in folded condition and in extended position upwardly beyond said hinge joint when said supporting members are in supporting position, and a brace connected between said supporting members and operatively connected to said slidable member to move it to said extended and retracted positions automatically as a result of the unfolding and folding of said supporting members.

2. An easel-type support comprising a front support panel and a rear support panel hinged toegther at one end at a hinge joint, a tab portion disposed on one of said panels for guided sliding movement between a retracted position and an extended position relative to said hinge joint, and a brace connected to the other of said panels and to said tab portion for moving it between said extended and retracted positions as a result of relative movement of said panels about said hinge joint.

3. An easel-type support comprising a fiat front panel and flat rear panel connected together at an upper hinge fold line, one of said panels having a flap turned upwardly over its inner surface, said flap having a transverse opening formed therein of substantial height, a tab slidably mounted between said flap and its cooperating panel and having an upper end extending upwardly through a slot in said hinge fold line and a lower end extending into the area of said opening, and a brace hingedly connected to the inner face of the other panel and extending through said opening where it is connected by a fold line to the said lower end of said tab.

No references cited.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SUPPPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE EASEL TYPE COMPRISING A FRONT SUPPORTING MEMBER AND A REAR SUPPORTING MEMBER HINGED TOGETHER AT A HINGE JOINT ADJACENT THEIR UPPER ENDS FOR RELATIVE SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN FOLDED AND SUPPORTING POSITIONS, A MEMBER POSITIONED BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND SLIDABLE THROUGH SAID HINGE JOINT BETWEEN A DOWNWARDLY RETRACTED POSITION SUBSTANTAILLY WITHIN THE HINGED SUPPORTING MEMBERS WHEN IN FOLDED CONDITION AND IN EXTENDED POSITION UPWARDLY BEYOND SAID HINGE JOINT WHEN SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS ARE IN SUPPORTING POSITION, AND A BRACE CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SLIDABLE MEMBER TO MOVE IT TO SAID EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS AUTOMATICALLY AS A RESULT OF THE UNFOLDING AND FOLDING OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS. 